Hunt safe: Tree stand do's and don't's

After getting into a tree stand and his body harness, Corey Woodby raises his firearm using a haul line, which reduces the chance of an accidental discharge.(Photo: ALAN WARD | Gannett Michigan)Buy Photo

Self-described avid hunter Corey Woodby has had some close calls as he's hunted from a tree stand.

Although Woodby has never been injured, he knows the risk is high, especially in the winter, when his tree stand could be covered in snow or ice. When he read statistics that said a high number of people who end up hospitalized or dead did not attach their body harness to anything, he decided he would not be one of those statistics.

"That information is what caused me to say I have to make sure I have certain things in place to ensure safety," Woodby said. "I always use a full-body harness when I hunt, and when my wife or family members come with me, they have to get full-body harnesses."

National studies show that an estimated 10 percent to 30 percent of hunters who hunt from an elevated stand will have a safety-related incident sometime in their hunting career, according to the National Bowhunter Education Foundation's Project Stand.

Not everyone thinks proactively.

Sgt. Tom Wanless, the hunter-education program supervisor for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources's Law Enforcement Division, said four hunting-related injuries from tree stands have been reported since January. While that doesn't seem like many, he said "four is four too many, and we're just getting into heavy (hunting) times right now." Bow hunting season for deer opens Oct. 1. Regular firearm deer season begins Nov. 15.

Most of the injuries, Wanless said, occur when people are getting in or out of their raised platform, and it's because they have not anchored themselves to a nonmoving object, such as the tree.

"DNR conservation officers responding to tree-stand falls see the same mistakes over and over — not using a harness or a haul line," he said. "Nationally, 82 percent of hunters who fall from a tree stand are wearing a harness, but it's not connected, and 86 percent of tree-stand falls take place during the climb up or down.

"There is no law that says you have to have a safety harness, but it's a heck of a great idea to have a full-body harness," Wanless added. "Harnesses and haul lines save lives."

One mis-step

Leslie Beck, a Gannett employee, had a full-body harness that was tethered to a tree, but she did not put it on before she climbed the ladder. At the top, she started to turn to put the harness on and she underestimated the size of the platform.

Beck teetered on the edge of the platform, which was 17 feet in the air.

"It was surreal," she said. "I had enough time teetering on the edge ... that I knew this is not going to be good. I wanted to land on my feet and not my head. ...

"Luckily, there wasn't anything on the ground that could have impaled me, but I did land on both feet and rolled to my left," Beck added. "I ended up smashing my left ankle to smithereens and broke my right femur."

Seven years later, Beck has undergone six surgeries. She said her doctor has discussed an ankle replacement, but she is leery.

She tried to bow hunt again, but once in the tree stand, she found it difficult to stand without thinking about the fall. Today, she refuses to go up another tree.

"I can wake up in the middle of the night and see it," Beck said. "I can recount the whole thing, and I don't ever want to do that again, even with the safety equipment there is today. It was that bad."

Woodby suggested that if a person falls and is hanging by a strap or safety harness, remember to push against the tree with your legs as much as possible because that will help keep the blood flow to the legs.

Hands free

Wanless and Woodby also suggest that hunters do not carry their gear as they climb into the tree stand. Woodby said he will put a backpack on that has essentials, including his cellphone and a first-aid kit, because carrying that on his back still allows him to have two hands on the ladder. However, his bow or shotgun comes up separately using a rope pulley system or haul line.

One mistake hunters make in that situation, Wanless said, is to tie the rope around the trigger with the weapon loaded.

Wanless said he's heard from hunters who believe it's safe to haul the weapon up or down while it's loaded if the safety is on, but he cautions that the safety on a gun is a mechanical device and mechanical devices are prone to failure. He said instead, keep the action open and the gun unloaded with the safety on.

"You need to fully focus on climbing the tree," he said. "Get in the tree stand, get secure and then haul up the equipment and make sure the firearm is not loaded."

For more information about tree-stand safety, go to www.tmastands.com. For more information about hunting in Michigan, visit the DNR website at www.michigan.gov/hunting.

Project Stand is an "educational outreach program designed to significantly decrease tree stand accidents and deaths," according to its website at www.projectstand.net.

At a glance

Hunting from a tree stand is a popular way for hunters to enjoy their season, but nearly every year, a Michigan hunter is seriously injured or killed falling out of a tree stand.

Conservation officers at the state Department of Natural Resources remind hunters of the top safety tips when it comes to tree stands.

Before a hunt, know your equipment:

• Read and understand the manufacturer's instructions and warnings before using a tree stand and harness.

• Check the stand, straps and chains before you go out for signs of wear and tear or missing parts.

• Practice at ground level with your tree stand and harness with a friend or family member.

• Learn how to properly use your harness. The DNR recommends a full-body harness.

• Waist belts or upper body-only harnesses can cause serious injuries or death in a fall.

When scouting for a tree:

• Choose a healthy, straight tree that is the right size to hold you and your stand.

• Clear debris from the base of the tree to minimize injury from a fall and to ensure a sturdy base if using a ladder stand.

During your hunt:

• Tell a reliable person where you are hunting and when you can be expected to return.

• Wear a full-body harness and make sure it is connected to the tree at all times. If using a ladder stand or climbing sticks, attach the harness before securing the platform to the tree or stepping onto it.